McPherse Thompson, Staff ReporterAs part of the effort to clear a backlog of imports from the island's ports, the Jamaica Customs Department has decided to open its import clearance facility at Newport East in Kingston today.
In a letter to Hendricks Porter, president of the Customs Brokers Association of Jamaica (CBAJ), the Department said Customs House would be opened for entry processing and collection of duties, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
However, Mr. Porter said that while brokers appreciated the effort being made by the Customs Department to facilitate trade, the Sunday opening would be inconvenient because most people attend church on that day.
"This appears to be a panic situation," said Mr. Porter, noting that the Sunday opening would not help because even if they had their import entries processed, they could not clear goods from the airports and wharves on that day.
"We want to get our entries processed on a weekday," said the CBAJ president.
Mr. Porter said entries were being sent to Customs House electronically and if the computer system was working properly then they should not have to go the Customs House outside of weekdays.
The CBAJ president again noted that because of inadequate staffing at the ports, it has become more difficult in recent times to clear goods on behalf of their clients.
On Thursday, the Customs Department said it recognised there was a shortage of clerical staff at the Kingston Wharves and would deploy additional staff to the affected areas this weekend.
